Easy Way To Check AC Refrigerant Leakage From Your Car



One of the trivial problems in a car is when the ac system is suddenly in-cold. But is it true that the problem comes from the AC system? To make sure, check the easy way to check ac refrigerant leakage below,

Easy Way To Find Leakage From Your AC System


There are several ways you can find and locate the leakage of AC refrigerant. Are as follows.

1. Initial Inspection

Before we step into the core AC system, there are several criteria that must be ensured to ensure that the location of the in-cold AC problem comes from a freon leak. Some of these criteria are as follows;


  • Make sure the Magnetic switch is working normally, when the AC is turned on the magnetic switch will work with the sound of iron tap from the AC compressor. This sound will be heard several times.
  • Blower under normal circumstances, if this component we can check on the AC hole. When the windsheet signals function normally.
  • The cooling fan is on. We need to check directly into the engine room to see if the fan is spinning. But it will usually take some time to wait for the fan to work. In principle, if there is no engine overheat problem means the fan is safe.


After all three conditions have been found, it can be ascertained AC electrical problem is not problematic. So this problem can be caused on leakage of AC system.

2. Visual Inspection

To check the leak AC is the easiest to see all channels of the AC system with the help of a flashlight. Freon leak will be seen usually with seepage at the area air conditioning hose.

This seepage is derived from PAG oil that exits through the leakage hole, but because this oil can not evaporate, finally just smear the area around the leak. In a few moments, there will be dust attached to PAG oil. So this seepage resembles a leakage of engine oil, but lies in the air conditioning hose.

Conditions like this can directly detect where the location of the leak, so it does not take long to make improvements. However, in some cases, the seepage of the hose is not necessarily derived from the leaky PAG oil, but it could be droplets when refueling oil or other oil droplets.

For that reason, this visual inspection is only a preliminary detection. Meanwhile, to ensure the truth require inspection using measuring instruments.

3. Check the pressure using the AC Manifold tester

This method can only be done if you have a tool called Manifold AC tester. This tool will detect pressure changes in low and high pressure hose when the AC system is turned on.

This tool can be used to indicate leakage of freon or damage of AC compressor. The trick, plug the two connectors on the niple low and high pressure hose. After that there will be a needle movement on the low indicator which is usually blue and high pressure usually red.

The indicator will show the pressure on the AC system. When AC is not turned on, low pressure side and high pressure pressure side is still the same. But when the AC is turned on the compressor will work, so the pressure on the high pressure side will increase while the pressure on the low pressure side decreases.

If the AC is on but the needle does not move, it can be indicated that there is damage to the AC compressor. But if it happens as above, you need to compare the pressure yield read with standard pressure. If it turns out to be reduced, we can be sure the problem is not cold air conditioner caused freon leak.

4. Using AC Recovery Tool

If you want a more sophisticated and practical tool, you can use AC Recovery Tool. This tool is shaped like a large multifunctional Box. It could clean the AC line, drain the AC system, replace or refill the freon, and also make additional PAG oil without removing the freon.

But this tool is only available on special AC workshops that have great authority, given the high price of this tool. But just knowledge, there is a more simple form made specifically for detecting leaks. This tool works by inserting the liquid ink into the AC system.

When the AC is turned on the ink will circulate to all parts of the AC system. This special ink is able to enter into the smallest gap. So when there is a leak, this ink will come out of the leak hole.

But we need the help of ultraviolet flashlight to see this ink. This is because the special ink used can not be seen with the naked eye. The way is easy, stay from the circulation of air conditioning from the hose, compressor, and condenser. If there is a leak, then the ink will be visible with green light.

5. Using wind pressure

The last way to do if the four ways above can not find the source of the leak. For this way, we need to diasemble all parts of the AC system.

To check the leak, eg on the hose is done by soaking the hose into the water. Then spray the pressurized wind on one of the holes and close the other hole. If there is a leak, air bubbles will arise from the surface of the hose.

Check other components such as condenser or evaporator. For compressor, you should not soaked water because it can damage the pulley and magnetic switch. In addition to detect the damage kompressor can be done through the way no 3.

Without adequate tools, checking for AC system leakage will be hard to find. Because of the location of some AC components are tucked and also the nature of freon is volatile.

In order for the checking process to take place quickly, you need to bring to a professional AC workshop when problems arise not cold air conditioner. Although impressed trivial, AC system improvements require skill that has been trained.

Similarly an article on how to check the leakage of freon AC car. If you have a problem and more question, send it to our mail below. Hope can be useful.